Pet Foods - Good and Bad

[InvisibleTouch]

Anyone have a list of which commercial brands of pet food are owned by rethug-supporting companies, vs. Dem supporters?

It can be argued (and maybe this is the wrong group for it) that you're better off in so many ways to feed a raw/homecooked diet - it's better for your pets, and you're buying "lower on the food chain," so to speak. If you have the space and time, you can even grow some of that food yourself. I started occasional raw feeding with the addition of my second dog, my first show prospect and foundation bitch for my own kennel, and now I've switched them both to the raw/homecooked regimen almost completely. But there are times when you're in a hurry, the meat is still frozen, it's late, and the kids are hungry ... and then I keep a bag of kibble or a couple of cans around for backup. I've been using Iams and Pedigree, neither of which I'm fully pleased with. The more I learn about commercial pet foods, the more I want to stay away from them.

But there are some good ones out there, I know. Paul Newman has a pet food out now, which I've tried once, and I really like the list of ingredients (lots of organically grown whole foods ... but in the end, still processed into a kibble form which can't help but lose some nutrients). There are others, too, which are less accessible for me to buy.

Anyway, for those who do feed commercial diets, does anyone have a list of the commonly available foods, and who their manufacturer supports? I'm thinking along the lines of Purina, Iams/Eukaneuba, Pedigree, Alpo, etc. etc. Not just dog and cat food either, but food for other pets, if applicable. If such a list doesn't exist, I will try to put one together if someone can point me in the right direction as to where to start the search....

[Lorien]

1. This one I know!

Iams is right out; repug contributor and they've been accused of unethical treatment of test animals. Most of the other major brands contain meat meals (scraps considered unfit for human consumption-sometimes even meat that has spoiled)and corn products-even corn syrup that causes an addiction in dogs and cats. Artificial dyes can also be dangerous to pets.

I became obsessed with learning about pet nutrition after a long battle to keep my beloved kitty Peewee alive (he passed away last year). I learned that his poor diet-due mostly to his addiction to the corn additives (he refused to eat healthy foods)-was the culprit behind most of his health issues. When I got two new kittens later in the year, I vowed the same would never happen to them!

My current cats eat a variety of healthy brands that don't come from megacorporations. Their favorite (all three love it) is Artemis, which comes in both dog and cat formulas; www.artemiscompany.com. They also like Spot's Stew. which is also made for both species: www.halopets.com . Halo also makes bird feeds and toys.

Other good brands include Wellness, Karma (dogs only), Innova, Merrick, Evolve,and a host of others. Google "holistic pet foods" for online sources. The Artemis link also features a retailer search function, and any retailer that carries the brand will likely have many of the others.

Feeding raw is, as you've said, the best. Look for online recipes featuring B.A.R.F. (biologically appropriate raw foods). I know two people who feed their pets this way, and they have exceptionally healthy animals.

[InvisibleTouch]

2. I knew Iams was bought by Procter & Gamble...

...a few years ago. That's why the cost went down (you get what you pay for?) and the foods were suddenly available in the supermarkets. P&G has a poor animal welfare record, or had at the time I was still keeping closer track. Most commercial brands are unhealthy, but I chose Iams in the hope that it was still somewhat better in nutritional value than the others. I always picked the one that lists its first ingredient as Chicken (not meal, by-products, grain, etc.). But as I said, I'm not thrilled with it, it's an emergency back-up, and I'm even less pleased with it now. Going to go with one of the other brands.

Thanks for the list! Maybe others can add to it....

[Lorien]

4. If you are stuck with shopping at places like PetsMart

I should add that Royal Canin comes from Canada and is better than a lot of the foods in the big chains. Blue from the Blue Buffalo company is also a decent alternative (plus, my cats are featured on some of their trading cards, lol)!

Your best bets are those products that contain holistic and/or organic ingredients. There are "meals" that are "human grade", but it needs to say that somewhere on the packaging (an experienced retailer can often give you this info too).

Organix is another new brand that fits that bill. My cats love the treats that they make!

[InvisibleTouch]

5. What about PetSmart, come to think of it?

What's PetSmart's track record, as a company?

[fudge stripe cookays]

6. I read somewhere several years ago

that Petco was better than Petsmart, but now I can't remember why.

:crazy:
FSC

[Hun Joro]

7. I don't know anything about Petsmart...

but here is some info about Petco:

http://www.petcocruelty.com/

[melnjones]

47. ha, i've always heard the exact opposite:-)

I refuse to step foot in a petco, but am loyal to petsmart. It's the best option in my town.

[Lorien]

8. I don't know about their political affliations

but I like the fact that they offer dogs and cats for adoption, not sale.

[DemExpat]

9. Royal Canin - also my dog's favorite food!

I also give her fresh meat, cooked veggies, brown rice, and fruit almost on a daily basis.

DemEx

[cmf]

16. Good to know

My cat eats IVD limited ingredient food, since she has allergies. I saw that IVD was recently acquired by Royal Canin, so that makes me feel better about them.

[Philostopher]

14. In case you weren't aware ...

Eukanuba also is an Iams label.

Mine all liked the Royal Canin I tried, but one of my cats has lost all her molars and can't chew it, she chokes on it. I have four of them, and they'll all eat Iams and don't have any trouble with it, but I'm trying to wean myself off as many P&G products as possible because while their local political behavior isn't too bad, their general corporate attitude toward things like animal testing sucks. Not only that, but I've been feeding Iams since before P&G bought them (they were a local company in Vandalia, Ohio, until then), and have noticed some decline in the quality of product.

I'm experimenting with different things to get away from Iams myself, but the one cat's dental problems complicate the process -- she won't eat enough canned food to sustain her, but the kibble all has to be a certain size and shape and suit her tastes or she either won't eat it or throws it up.

If you don't have any cats with dental problems, the Royal Canin seems to be good stuff, and I haven't heard anything negative about the company. Wish I could use it!

[Lorien]

18. Try wet foods instead

they're closer to your cats natural diet anyway. Wellness, Innova, California Natural and Newman's Own all make great canned cat foods.

[melnjones]

48. Thanks for the info, didn't know that about eukanuba. nt

[fudge stripe cookays]

3. More on IAMs (bastards)

here:
http://www.iamscruelty.com/iams.asp
http://www.iamscruelty.com/iams-feat-boot.asp

It's sickening. Don't eat before you read it. I looked up CEO Jeffrey Ansell on fundrace and couldn't find anything, but there might be something somewhere else.

FSC

[Lydia Leftcoast]

10. Purina is made by Ralston-Purina, which was/is owned by the family of

ex-Senator John Danforth, Clarence Thomas' biggest booster in the Senate.

[Dora]

11. My cats have done well with Natural Balance

http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/

I found this food in a Petco last year, and I liked their ingredients listing, so I tried it.

[K8-EEE]

15. Hilarious Pic Of "Eight Is Enough" Star Dick Van Patten

on this natural balance site!!

[SnowBack]

12. We've been feeding our dogs Canidae

I'm actually not sure about their politics, but they're all natural, with no meat by-products, and are from California...

I'll have to try to find out more... I'd hate to find out they're right wing supporters...

http://canidae.com

[belle]

13. I give my cat Wellness...

It's "real" food, no by-products. It's pricier than others. OTOH, he's little. He doesn't eat so much. :-)

[Critters2]

56. Its canned food is made by Menu Foods. But then, isn't everyone's? nt

[wildeyed]

17. I had been feeding my dog Iams.

I am switching him to the costco house brand (Kirkland)pet food. I looked at the ingredients list and it looked as good/better than Iams. And I trust Costco to support progressive causes.

[Lorien]

19. Actually, I think the Kirkland brand IS Iams

I'm not sure about that, but the kibble looks the same (at least as far as the cat food goes).

[wildeyed]

20. I did a quick google search.

I found this on a dog message board:

Thank you for your interest in Kirkland Signature, and for giving us the opportunity to respond to your question. It is true that the Diamond Pet Food Company manufactures the Kirkland Signature line of pet foods, on behalf of Costco Wholesale.

Important information to know is that Costco Wholesale is in full control of their Kirkland Signature formulations, and require the highest standards of quality. The palatability (taste) and digestibility (nutritional availability) standards are objectively tested on a quarterly basis,ensuring that Kirkland Signature exceeds the quality of the leading super premium brands, Iams and Science Diet.

http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?p=531103#post531103

So I don't think Kirkland is Iams. Kirkland is also much cheaper. I got a 40 lb. bag for just over $15. My pup is on the small side, so he better eat up!

[Lorien]

27. Thanks for the info

that's a relief; I've been feeding the local wildlife the Kirkland cat food for years (jays, cardinals, brown thrashers, woodpeckers, raccoons and possums all love it). I recently got a sample of Iams cat food, and it looked and smelled exactly like the Kirkland kibble-so that's why I feared it was one and the same.

[Critters2]

54. It's Diamond, not Iams. nt

[K8-EEE]

21. I'm Afraid I'll Buy 40 lbs and Then She Won't Like It

I wish the Costco food gave samples or something! I'd been feeding my dog & cat Iams totally unaware of what the assholes running Iams were up to until a couple of months ago, everything I've tried, has been mostly thrown out. It is frustrating! Well I might try with the Costco food and place an ad in the Freecycler if they won't eat it....I sure learn a LOT on this forum, thanks everyone!

[wildeyed]

22. I am going to start mixing some of the Kirkland in with the Iams,

switch over a little at a time. My dog gets the runs if I switch foods too quickly, anyway, so this will be a good way to avoid that smelly misfortune AND let him get accustomed to the new brand.

[K8-EEE]

23. Oooh!!! XLNT IDEA!

Thanks for that suggestion, I will do the same.

[marlakay]

24. How can you change brands on a cat that has a weak

stomach? My cat has eaten Iams for years, she is 4 1/2 yr pure white persian and throws up easy at the slightest anything. A bite of different food, a leaf. We keep her indoors and I would like to change to a better company but my husband is afraid she will get sick.

[NMDemDist2]

25. slowly add the new into the old in larger and larger amounts

over several weeks

[Lorien]

28. The higher quality foods don't cause stomach upset

my elderly domestic shorthair was the same way, until I got hom off of non-holistic store brands. Artemis is a great one to start with ( www.artemiscompany.com ). I've yet to find a cat that isn't absolutely mad for the stuff. Organix is also popular with many cats. If you have a pet boutique in your area that carries holistic brands, they may give you samples to test first (mine does).

Good luck!

[welshTerrier2]

26. I've joined the IAM's boycott ... my pup has switched to ...

a local Massachusetts (Lowell) company called Old Mother Hubbard ...

we're starting out with their doggie biscuits ... not switching to their dog food yet ... my sweet girl has been getting a brand called "Solid Gold" (company research to follow) ...

my local petstore said IAM's is a lousy company ... they liked Old Mother Hubbard but didn't elaborate ...

[UrbScotty]

29. Anybody know about Science Diet? (nt)

[Lorien]

30. I don't trust the ingredients in Science Diet

non-human grade; that means that some of the meat meals your pet is eating come from meat that was swept up off the butchers floor, or was even spoiled-it's stuff that's illegal to feed to humans. Many holistic vets believe that pets could live much longer lives if they were only fed decent, nutritious, human grade foods. Look for USDA human grade (holistic or organic) ingredients, and avoid foods that contain corn and wheat.

[Lorien]

31. Online resources for holistic pet foods:

www.pookiesbowwowbakery.com (many brands)

www.waggintails.com (many brands)

http://store.yahoo.net/natureofthepet/ (smaller selection, but offers some discounts)

www.kosherpets.com (freeze dried raw diet for dogs and cats)

www.brothersblend.com (raw diet for cats-Florida only)

[crispini]

32. Well, I tried mine on Whole Foods brand pet food.

And they're certainly upchucking a lot less than they did with the old stuff, which is good. I haven't thoroughly checked the label, though, I'll do that later & see what it says.

[Lorien]

33. Hey, let us know what's on that label

if you have the time. i'm always looking for less expensive, healthy alternatives for my guys. :hi:

[crispini]

34. Well, it doesn't say anything about USDA or non-human grade.

It's probably a step up from your average dry kibble:
- No artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, low ash, naturally preserved.

But the #1 ingredient is Chicken By Product meal and the #2 ingredient is corn gluten meal. So based on the comments in the thread above it's probably not quite as healthy as it could be. Too bad, this thread has made me more aware of what I'm feeding mine, so I may have to try something else for them. but they DO like it, and it certainly doesn't upset their tummies as much as the old stuff, so I suppose it's a step in the right direction.

[kslib]

35. Please, please be careful!

I work at a veterinary medical teaching hospital and see a lot of cases where pets that are fed "homemade/raw foods" diets are getting VERY sick. Cases of salmonella, choking on bones, bones causing severe intestinal hemorrhage, severe nutritional deficiencies requires hundreds or thousands of dollars in surgery/ICU/medical treatment, and so much more. Please talk to your veterinarian about the proper balance of vitamins, proteins and fats, and also about which vitamins in raw/cooked foods interfere with the uptake of other vital nutrients. Also, be advised that cats are ABSOLUTELY carnivores. They can NOT process vegetables in a manner that allows adequate consumption of vitamins. They also convert protein into energy, which means they require A LOT of it!! Most homemade diets require a vitamin supplementation, and you should at the very least get a complete blood panel/chem panel done every 6 months. Here is a website explaining more:

http://www.provet.co.uk/petfacts/healthtips/homemade.htm

That being said, I use Walthams pet food, and supplement it with Lamb baby food (I adopted a pet with a food allergy) for added water consumption.

[NMDemDist2]

36. can I PM you with a doggie health question please ?? n/t

[kslib]

37. sure

[Lorien]

38. Thanks for the link

those who feed homemade diets often forget the essiential nutrient Taurine, which comes from organ meats. also, feeding raw means preparing very fresh meats in a very responsible manner. It's kinda tough. I feed Brother's Blend (a prepared, frozen raw diet) with my holistic brands from time to time. The cats love it, and I feel that it's fairly safe.

[redacted]

42. I agree, raw is playing Russian Roulette

I have many friends who feed raw and I basically come to the conclusion that they are all playing a very dangerous game with their pets health.

I've heard all the arguments (myths) about why raw is good and I can give you a very solid scientific reason to debunk every one of them.

Given that, I think most grocery store commercial dog food should be treated with suspicion as well. I've heard too many stories there, too.

We feel a high quality kibble as a base (different for each dog because we have dogs with allergies and different needs) plus augmentation with any (or all) of the following: a non fat organic chicken broth, low fat chicken soup (for those nights we just dead tired), organic chicken breast, low fat sliced chicken lunch meat and selective varied low-fat healthy table scraps that they tolerate well. (We are vegetarians so these are vegetable or soy based.)


Good luck.

[OnionPatch]

39. I used to try to feed the dogs the good stuff

Like Eagle, Nutro, etc. but they don't like it and it's expensive. I have no idea who owns these companies, either.

Now we feed them plain, old Trader Joe's dog food. It's made with natural ingredients and not a lot of by-products and gross stuff. The dogs love it and Trader Joe's is a 100% blue company.

[mom cat]

40. I don't know about their politics, but Wysong saved the life of an old

Persian that I adopted. She was going down the tubes, but a friend suggested Wysong's Geriatric formuls. It gave dear Catherine the Great another six years. She made it to 23 years old, which was a miracle, considering her pre adoption neglect.

[Lorien]

41. That's an excellent brand

it's another holistic one with USDA human grade ingredients (my cats don't like the taste, but plenty of others do). :thumbsup:

[Vadem]

45. Wysong is what I use for my Cavaliers! I did the BARF diet for

a while, the raw chicken wings, and the rest of the BARF diet. My Nelly started having seizures and then her father, Dash, started having seizures as well. I stopped the BARF diet and put them back on Wysong and the seizures stopped. I haven't had any problem with seizures since I put them back on Wysong and they are thriving. They were on Wysong before the BARF diet, also.

[Critters2]

55. Some of Wysong's products are made by Menu Foods

I called their office in Michigan, and the woman there confirmed it.

[Warpy]

43. Kit n Kaboodle, which is the cheapest thing out there

Yeah, I know it's Purina and some weasels are getting my money. However, my cats are a couple of rescued purebreds and that's all they particularly like. I've tried substituting more pious brands in with the K&K and they've been remarkably adept at eating the K&K out of the bowl and leaving the other stuff to go stale and attract bugs.

I've simply bowed to the inevitable and let them eat what they like. They're both in their mid teens and shockingly healthy, so it's not a total loss, even if it is a political one.

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

44. I give my kitties Artemis holistic cat food...

It's great for one of my kitties, who has special diet needs due to a long-ago UTI he had. Both of them love it. You can check out the ingredients at their website and I'm pretty sure they are a responsible company. Unfortunately, I have to order it direct from them, as no local suppliers carry it around here. But oh well - it's worth it completely.

Here's their product page:

http://www.artemiscompany.com/html/products/products.htm

[Lorien]

46. Artemis Fresh mix is great stuff!

My Maine coon Oberon loves it, as do most of my fosters. They seem socially conscious, too.

[melnjones]

49. Anyone have any dirt on Nutro?

That's what I feed my dog, mixed with eukanuba (which I will shortly be changing!) Is there anything horrible about nutro that I should know?

[Lorien]

50. An extremely Red company

both Eukanuba and Nutro use "pet grade" ingredients (that which is unfit for human consumption). Try some blue human grade foods like Natural Balance, Merrick, Innova, Solid Gold,Karma, Pinnacle, Petguard and many more.

[melnjones]

51. What about Blue Buffalo pet food? nt

[calico1]

52. I am giving my kids Innova EVO.

My cats (I have 5) have not thrown up once since being on this food! And I found out the reason after doing some research. EVO has no grains in it. Although things like brown rice are healthy, they aren't that good for cats because cats lack the necessary enzymes to digest grain products. I am also giving it to my dog to see if she can lose some lbs. The EVO does not have any grains but it does have veggies, potatoes and fruit so it's not all protein. Also the kibble is very small which I think helps them to digest it better. For canned there are several brands that I will buy, including Wellness, Solid Gold, Newman's and other quality brands.

[TexasBushwhacker]

58. My cats like this stuff too n/t

[Critters2]

53. This pet food company seems to be taking ethics into account

along with nutrition, etc:

www.petpromiseinc.com

It's what I'm feeding my pets now.

[Flaxbee]

57. My cats ***love*** California Natural dry -

they have ignored almost every other 'good' brand, like Wellness, Artemis, Wysong, etc. But they LOVE California Natural, and tolerate Natural Balance. I haven't found California Natural moist food anywhere, so I can't comment on that, but I have gone through so many brands of dry, including Newman's Own (actually, his is too $$$ for me as I have 7 cats and can't afford $18 for a 5lb bag), and tried CalNatural simply because I was exasperated and am from California (good reason to try, huh?) and saw that the list of ingredients was good, and ended up striking gold, with my kids at least.